Improvement in machines for trimming boxes



A. STEABNS.

Machine for Trimming Boxes.

Patented Sept. Z1875.

is: Q

.N.PETE.RS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D c

ALBERT STEARNS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR TRIMNIING BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,583, datedSeptember 7, 1875 application filed June 23, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT STEARNS, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Machinesfor Trimming Wooden Boxes, and for similar purposes; and I do.

hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawingmaking part of this specification.

My invention relates to a machine. which is designed more particularlyfor trimmin g and finishing the edges and corners of woodenpacking-boxes but which may be used for planing and dressing the twoopposite sides or edges of pieces of wood of various shapes and sizes.

The invention consists, first, in the combination, hereinafterspecifically described, of two rotary cutter-disks, mounted uponsuitable shafts, and having cutting-knives upon their inner faces, witha mechanism for adjusting the said cutter-disks and their shafts towardor from each other without interfering with the rotary motion of thesame; and, secondly, of a stop mechanism for arresting the advancingmotion of the rotary cutter-disks immediately on the completion of thedesired cut, all of which will be fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a side view of a machine,constructed accord ing to my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of thesame. Fig. 3 is an end view.

The. frame A, which supports the working parts, is of any suitableconstruction. In the lower portion of the frame is journaled the mainshaft B, which carries, about midway of its length, a driving-pulley, b,and near its ends two pulleys, G U, which impart motion to thecutter-shafts D D by means of belts c c passing around the pulleys O O,and around pulleys d d on the shafts l) I). These shafts carry at theirinner ends the disks E E, which are provided with any suitable number ofknives or cutters, f, arranged adjustably in slots in the disks in asimilar manner to that in which plane-bits are arranged in theirstocks.The shafts l) D have their bearings in boxes 0 e 6 6 These boxes rest onseats in the upper part of the frame A, and are secured thereto byscrews or bolts passing through holes in the boxes and in the seats.There are different sets of holes provided in the seats for the screwsor bolts, so that by removing them and sliding the boxes along in theseats, and then placing the screws or bolts in other sets of holes, theshafts may be adjusted to revolve in diii'erent planes. To furtherfacilitate this result the innermost boxes 6 6 may be attached to theirseats by pivots, so as to obviate the necessity of removing them inorder to chang the position of the shafts. When it is desired to changethe position of the cutter-disk, so as to cause it to revolve in otherthan a vertical plane, the outermost box 6 is elevated above its seat bymeans of wedges or blocks placed under it, or by means of screws, or inany other suitable manner, so as to incline the shaft from a horizontalposition, and cause the disk to revolve in the de-. sired plane.

The bed G, for holding the work, is located in the upper part of theframe, between the cutting-faces of the disks. The edges of the bed aretapering from about its midlength toward one end, in directions aboutparallel with the planes of revolution of the disks; and when saidplanes of revolution are materially changed by changing the positions ofthe shafts, the bed may be removed and replaced by another, with itsedges tapered to correspond more nearly with the planes of revolution ofthe disks, and to this end the the land may be arranged, so as to bereadily removable.

The bed is provided with a gage, g, against which the work is held whilebeing operated upon by the cutters. When the work is in place upon thebed the cutter-disks are fed up to it simultaneously, which operationmay be accomplished in either of the following modes, one of which isshown in the drawing at one end of the machine, and the other is shownat the other end. When either mode is used it is in duplicate-one set ofthe mechanism-being applied at each end in order to render the operationuniform. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, at the left-hand endof the machine is a shaft, H, driven by gearing from the main shaft B.This shaft H may be so arranged with relation to the main shaft as to bedriven therefrom by either spur or bevel gearing. The shaft El carries acam, I, having a groove, 1', in its face. A lever, L, is pivoted to theframe A so as to oscillate in an upright position. The lower end of thelever L engages with the groove 11in the face ofthe cam, and may beprovided with a frictionroller. The upper end of the lever is forked,and engages with a fixed collar, Z, and a loose collar, 1 on thecutter-shaft D. Between the collar 1 and the pulley d is another collar,1?, provided with a set-screw for holding it in place at differentpoints on the shaft. Between the collars Z P, surrounding the shaft D,is a spring, K, which may be made of metal, rubber, or any othersuitable material. The pressure of the spring may be regulated byadjusting the collar 1 nearer to or farther from the collar 1. Thepulley (I being attached to the shaft D by a spline and feather, saidshaft is allowed a longitudinal motion without interfering with itsrotary motion. As the shaft D is revolved by the belt from the mainshaft the amshaft H is also revolved, and the engagement of the cam Iand lever L imparts an oscillating motion to the lever, causing itsforked upper end to press against the collar l and force the cutter-disktoward the bed Gr during one-half revolution of the shaft H, whileduring the other half revolution of said shaft the forked end of thelever bears against the fixed collar land forces the disk in theopposite direction. Should the pressure of the lever when forcing thedisk toward the bed G be so strong as to have a tendency to press thedisk too closely against the bed or the work, the spring K will overcomesuch tendency and allow only the proper degree of pressure to beexerted.

Another mode of feeding the cutter-disks to and from the work isrepresented in the same figures of the drawing as the mode abovedescribed, but at the opposite end of the machine. The main shaft Bdrives, by means of crown or bevel gearing, a shaft, J, arrangedtransversely of the frame, and carrying at one end a crank, j, whichengages with a slot, 121, in a lever, L This lever is pivoted to theframe A, and has its upper end forked and engaging with two collars, ZZ, on the shaft D, which is also provided with an adjustable collar, Zand a spring, K. The collars and spring are similar to those beforedescribed, and for the same purpose. When the crankshaft J is rotatedthe engagement of its crank with the slot m gives an oscillating motionto the lever 1 so as to feed the disk to and from the work, as beforedescribed.

In some cases it may be desired to operate the feeding mechanism by handinstead of having it opera-ted from the main shaft. In such cases thegearing is removed from each end of the main shaft, or by suitable meansthrown out of engagement with the feeding ward the center of the bed.

mechanism, and instead thereof each set of mechanism is driven by anindependent shaft worked by hand. Such an arrangement is shown at theright-hand end of Figs. 1 and 2, and also in Fig. 3, in which Mrepresents a shaft, provided with a crank-handle, n, at its upper end,and carrying at its lower end a gear-wheel, q meshing into thegear-wheel g which is attached to the crank-shaft J. By turning thecrank n motion is imparted to the crank-shaft J, and the cutter-disk isfed to and from the work. This mode of operating the feed mechanism canbe applied to the cam-shaft H with equal facility. The belts "from themain shaft to the cutter-shafts may each be provided with an idler ortightening pulley, R, which may be adjusted by means of a rod, R havingone end pivoted and the other end engaging with a notched bar, R

For arresting the advancing motion of the cutter-disks when the desiredcut is completed, I employ devices constructed and operating in thefollowing manner: On the under side of the bed G are four cylinders, S,attached to the bed by staples or keepers of any suitable construction.These cylinders are arranged in two pairs, one pair on each side of thelongitudinal center of the bed. Each pair is arranged in a directionparallel with the axis of rotation of the cutter-disk nearest to it. Thecylinders S are hollow, and in each pair of cylinders works a pair ofrods or plungers, T, to the outer ends of which a plate, V, is attachedat right angles to the axis of revolution of the cutter-disk, andparallel with the plane thereof. A portion of the plate V extends abovethe top surface of the bed G, and has a notch or offset, '0, formed inthe side to- Attached to the plate V, between the rods or plungers T,and in the same horizontal plane and parallel therewith, is a r.od,W,surrounded by a spring, 20, one end of which bears against the plate Vand the other end against a seat provided on the under side of the bed.On the side of the plate toward the cutter-disk, at a point exactlyopposite the center of said disk, and also opposite the rod W, is apointed or conical projection, 19. If desired, the rod W may becontinued through the plate V to form this projection. This stopmechanism and the gage g are so arranged, with relation to each otherand to the work, that the plates V will come in contact with the lateralsides or ends of the work at certain stages of the operation of themachine. lows: As the disks are fed up to the work as soon as thedesired cut is completed, the centers of the disks bear against theprojections 19, and the plates V are forced in contact with the lateralsides or ends of the box, and thus arrest the inward motion of thedisks, so that, although said disks may continue their rotary motion,yet the cutters are prevented from acting on the work while the plates Vare in contact therewith. Should the inward press- Their operation is asfolure of the feed-lever continue after the advancing motion of the diskis arrested, the

spring K, between the collars Z P, yields to and their shafts toward orfrom each other without adjusting the rotary motion of the same, in themanner and for the object specified.

2. The combination, with the cutter-disks, of the stop mechanism forarresting the advancing motion of said disks immediately on thecompletion of the desired cut, substantially as herein described. v

ALBERT STE-ARNS. Witnesses:

MICHAEL RYAN, FRED. HAYNES.

